HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 03-16 Defining Tourism and Marketing Mgmt+, , ��� �,
WHEREAS, the City Council adopted the Tourism Business Improvement District
("TBID") Law — Chapter 3.6 MBMC — via Ordinance 546 in 2009; and
AS, pursuant to MBMC 3.60.030, creation of the TBID is intended to provide a
stream of revenue to the City to defray the costs of services, activities and programs promoting
tourism which will benefit the operators of hotels in the district through the promotion of scenic,
recreational, cultural and other attractions in the district as a tourist destination; and
AS, the City has managed its tourism promotions and marketing operations both
internally in the past, though with no specific tourism staff, as well as contracted for said services
with the Morro Bay Tourism Bureau ("MBTB"); and
EREAS, since the inception of the TBID assessment, tourism has increased
tremendously in the City, and Transient Occupancy Taxes collected from hotel stays has
increased by more than $1 Million annually; and
WRE AS, the City has greatly enhanced its focus on communitywide economic
development, which includes tourism as Marro Bay's major economic engine; and
AS, it is imperative the City strategically align all economic development
operations to ensure efficiency, strong coordination, and enhanced long-term operations; and
VLTU
EREAS, the City recognizes the import
ant commitment to the hotelier stakeholder
community when managing the community's TBID assessment funds; and
WHEREAS
the City Council intends for the City to directly manage its tourism
promotions and marketing, and provide for a structure of said management both as a way to
outline the program and provide continued commitment to the hotelier stakeholder community;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Morro
Bay, California, as follows:
01181.0001/278894.1
City Council Resolution #03-16
Page 2
The City Council finds it appropriate for the City to manage its tourism promotions and
marketing directly. To that end, the following structure for management of the community's
TBID assessment funds shall be as follows:
1) The City shall directly manage its tourism promotions and marketing, including
expenditure of the community's TBID assessment funds. Expenditures shall be made
pursuant to City and State law. A State -required annual report and work plan,
recommended by the TBID Advisory Board and approved by the City Council, shall
guide the expenditure of these funds.
2) Expert tourism professionals, reporting to the City Manager or his/her designee, will
manage the City's tourism promotions and marketing. They shall be contractors, and
will be required to follow all rules related to contracted services including, but not
limited to, acquiring a Morro Bay business license, unless on further study the City
Manager recommends an employee relationship and that position is approved and
budgeted for in the FY 16/17 budget process. The existing MBTB staff will be
offered those positions. The City may modify those contracted, or employee,
relationship in the future if the City determines there is a more cost-effective
approach to management of tourism marketing and promotions. Changes shall be
reviewed by the TBID Advisory Board, which will make a recommendation to the
City Council prior to operational changes.
3) The TBID Advisory Board shall participate in the annual review of the City's tourism
manager and will assist in setting goals and metrics to measure the success of the
community's tourism promotions and marketing undertaken by this contracted
professional. The Advisory Board shall review and make recommendations for the
selection of any future tourism manager.
4) The TBID Advisory Board shall have enhanced duties that include, not only the
general tourism marketing and promotions, but any efforts to enhance the destination
of Morro Bay as it relates to tourism. That can include Citywide brand management,
destination -promoting community event management or review, and more. The
Advisory Board shall assist staff in developing the overall duties of the Board, and
will make a recommendation to City Council in order to update the Advisory Body's
bylaws as appropriate.
5) The City shall commit $340,000 in Transient Occupancy Taxes to the City's tourism
operations. It is intended the budget shall provide for that amount incrementally, with
24 percent of annual TOT increases being set aside for these purposes, until the
maximum is reached. The TBID Advisory Board will provide recommendations
through its annual report and work plan on the appropriate expenditure of this funding
to City Council.
6) The City's professional tourism professionals shall be provided office space in a City
facility.
01181.0001/278894.1
City Council Resolution 40346
Page 3
7) In order to focus as much of the TBID assessment as possible on directly promoting
and marketing Morro Bay, the City shall provide for accounting, legal advice, IT
support, as well as the aforementioned office space.
S) In order to transition to direct management of tourism operations, the City does not
intend to extend its current contract with the MBTB past the May 2016 expiration of
the existing contract. The City will coordinate a transition plan to direct management
with MBTB input.
9) The City shall support any efforts within the local business community on the
formation of an additional Business Improvement District that could include retail
and restaurant businesses for the purposes of enhanced marketing of those businesses
that help make Morro Bay the destination it is.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay at a regular
meeting thereof held on this 12th day of January, 2016 on the following vote:
AYES: IRONS, HEADDING, JOHNSON, MAKOWETSKI, SMUKLER
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
JANE L. liZONS,
ATTEST:
DANA SWANSON, City Clerk
01181.0001/278894.1